Brian Scott Ellis, 50, of New Port Richey, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for possessing and attempting to produce child pornography. He pleaded guilty on Feb. 28.

According to court documents, Ellis had amassed a collection of thousands of child pornography images and videos. He distributed child pornography as part of internet “send-to-get” groups, and tried to film explicit videos of an unrelated child.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U. S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.